Mexico's team, not its fan base, more of a concern

Published 5:30 am, Saturday, July 2, 2011

U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard struggled on the field and off in the loss in the Gold Cup final.

U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard struggled on the field and off in the loss in the Gold Cup final.

Photo: ROBYN BECK, Getty

Soccer notebook: U.S. has bigger problems

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It's been a long time since the U.S. Soccer Federation's men's and boys' sides seemed in such disarray. The senior national team was embarrassed at the Rose Bowl on June 25, blowing a two-goal lead in an eventual 4-2 blowout loss to Mexico in the Gold Cup final.

Outclassed on the field, U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard then showed a lack of class off the field in an expletive-laced postgame tirade in which he complained that the trophy presentation was conducted in Spanish instead of English before the pro-Mexico crowd of more than 93,000.

Howard was so out of sorts after the humiliating defeat he somehow didn't realize the trophy presentation was in Spanish and English.

Two months after the U.S. U-20 national team failed to qualify for the U-20 World Cup, the U.S. U-17 national team collected only one victory at the U-17 World Cup, where it was bounced in the knockout stages in a lopsided 4-0 loss to Germany on Thursday.

Mexico's star power

Since the Gold Cup loss, large segments of the U.S. fan base have called for Bob Bradley to be fired. Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear is one of the names mentioned as potential replacements if Bradley is fired.

Whether Bradley stays, the U.S. soccer fan base must keep perspective. After a decade of dominance in the region, the U.S. doesn't have the young star power Mexico does. The U.S. has one Landon Donovan, and Mexico has two just as good or better — Pablo Barrera and Andres Guardado. The U.S. has one Clint Dempsey. and Mexico has two who are better - Javier "El Chicharito" Hernandez and Giovani Dos Santos. And Mexico beat the U.S. with its third-team goalkeeper and a defense that lost two veteran stars to injury, captain Rafa Marquez and Carlos Salcido.

Off the field, the mood wasn't better for U.S. fans.

Members of one of the major U.S. national team supporters groups complained to U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati about the treatment they received at the Rose Bowl. With a name like American Outlaws, one would think the group would be a little tougher. Instead, AO opened itself up to ridicule on major soccer sites like BigSoccer.com after one of its members sent Gulati an open letter complaining about the atmosphere at the Rose Bowl.

Not 20 miles away from where a San Francisco Giants fan was almost killed at Dodger Stadium, the Rose Bowl was tame in comparison to the behavior usually seen at major derbies throughout Europe or South and Central America.

American Outlaws members would be shocked if they had to sit through a Winter League baseball game in the Dominican Republic or Venezuela much less a match between Celtic and Rangers in Scotland.

Fans' concerns

Some segments of the U.S. fan base lamented the overwhelming presence of Mexican fans at the Rose Bowl. Never mind that supporters of Mexico are traditionally a late-buying group, as history has shown at Reliant Stadium, the Rose Bowl, Soldier Field and other venues where Mexico has played.

Instead of lamenting the large Mexican fan base at the Gold Cup final, American supporters would be better served trying to lobby those folks to support the U.S. side when the U.S. and Mexico don't play against each other. Nonetheless, Gulati issued an open letter to fans Friday.

"After receiving several complaints about unacceptable behavior towards U.S. fans at the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup final at the Rose Bowl, we felt it was necessary to address this issue directly with our supporters," Gulati wrote. "While this was not an event run by U.S. Soccer, and therefore U.S. Soccer did not control the logistics of the match, the safety and security of our fans at any match is our top priority. Since we received the initial complaints, we have been in contact with the tournament organizers to discuss the necessary steps that should be taken to improve the experience at future events. We also know the Rose Bowl has reached out to several of the affected fans to discuss the matter."

Fan behavior

Gulati declared his commitment to a "positive, safe and enjoyable atmosphere."

"It is important to remember that the overwhelming majority of supporters who attend matches in the United States showcase their love and appreciation for the game in the right way," he said. "Having said that, let us be clear: We will not tolerate dangerous or inappropriate behavior from anyone, regardless of the team they support.

"We must not allow the issues from the Gold Cup to influence future conduct at our events. Our supporters have helped us earn a reputation of being one of the most fan-friendly nations in soccer, and we are committed to maintaining that standard."

At this point, though, U.S. Soccer has bigger issues than the Mexican fan base. Mexico has caught and surpassed the U.S., outscoring the Americans 9-2 in the past two Gold Cup finals with a core of stars younger than 25.